+ Result: Free Practice, Misano
A late effort from Benjamin Lessennes proved enough to put the L’Espace Bienvenue BMW team top of the pack in opening GT4 European Series powered by RAFA Racing Club practice at Misano.
Hendrik Still and Joachim Bölting continued their hot streak in Pro-Am, with their #32 W&S Porsche topping the class, while the sister car of Max Kronberg and Daniel Blickle led the way in Am.
Competition at Misano is always tight in GT4, and this session proved no different, with teams taking it in turns to shave tiny margins off the best time. Gregory Guilvert (Team Speedcar Audi), McKenzy Cresswell (Elite Motorsport McLaren), Hadrien David (Matmut Évolution Toyota), Lluc Ibañez (NM Racing Team Mercedes-AMG) and Charlie Hart (RAFA Racing McLaren) rotated the top time before Ricardo van der Ende first put the #17 BMW out front.
Paul Petit briefly snuck the #8 Audi back ahead before Gabriele Piana looked to have settled the result in the #12 Borusan Otomotiv BMW. Then came Lessennes, taking over from van der Ende and stealing ahead in the final minutes, ending the session 0.2s clear of Piana.
Hendrik Still placed his and Bölting’s Porsche third overall and clearly fastest in Pro-Am, ahead of Alexandre Papadopulos/Ibañez’s #15 Mercedes-AMG. David/Jan Duran were fifth in their Toyota, with points leaders Robert Consani and Benjamin Lariche rounding out the top six in their Team Speedcar Audi.
Gustavo Xavier/Önder Erdem were second in Pro-Am in the #60 Razoon – more than racing BMW ahead of Paolo and Davide Meloni’s W&D Racing Team M4.
A spot just outside the top 10 overall was enough for Kronberg and Blickle to secure the fastest Am time. Kronberg put the car 12th of the 38 runners to stay out front, three places overall ahead of closest rivals Jean-Mathieu Leandri/Antoni de Barn’s Chazel Technologie Course BMW. Toyota Gazoo Racing Sweden was third with father-and-son pairing Mikael and Christoffer Brunnhagen.
Pre-Qualifying is scheduled for 15:30 local time.